Issa Rae

Issa Rae wasn’t born—she was handcrafted by God herself. Or she’s an alien with otherworldly powers. I’m not totally sure which, but how other than a touch of the supernatural can you explain someone who can truly do everything to perfection?

Issa is not only a prolific writer, a captivating actor and comedian, a profound leader, an efficacious producer, and a music mogul in the making (pauses to take a breath)—she’s also a consistently hilarious and loyal friend. For those of us lucky enough to know her, Issa is everything you want a person to be: kind, funny, down to earth.

Even if you don’t have the privilege of knowing her, you feel a familiarity with the woman with the unstoppable cheekbones and infectious laugh. In Insecure, Issa created an instantly archetypal comedy, set to influence generations of shows to come. She taught us that the norm of everyday life is just as dramatic as any superhero storyline and that we can be the heroes of our own lives.

Thede is the creator and showrunner of A Black Lady Sketch Show

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